Numerous products are used in construction materials, for example for floor coverings, mastics or also sanitary seals. The addition of plasticizers is common in certain families of mastics such as the hybrid mastics (based on siliconized modified polymers), acrylic mastics, polyurethane mastics, plastisols (PVC paste) and certain adhesives. A plasticizer is a molecule or an oligomer, in the solid state or in the more or less viscous liquid state, added to the formulations of different types of materials in order to make them more flexible, more resistant, more resilient or easier to handle.
An ideal plasticizer is compatible with the polymer matrix in order to prevent the phenomena of migration and bleeding, has low volatility, can be extracted only with difficulty by the liquids that will be in contact with the plasticized material, it performs well with regard to certain properties such as flexibility, resistance to impact, cold, heat and has good electrical resistivity. It does not become oxidized and remains non-toxic, odourless, colourless and inexpensive.
The phthalates are products very commonly used as a plasticizer. But the pressure of increasingly stringent regulations restricts their uses in many countries due to their danger to human health. Alternatives to their use are now therefore necessary and much sought-after.
On the other hand, recent regulatory constraints imposed by limitations on volatile organic compounds or VOCs in construction materials are also to be taken into account. In fact, these compounds have a tendency to evaporate and/or degrade either immediately or over time and to be a source of emissions that are often toxic to the environment and more particularly to human and animal health. These emissions affecting everyday life constitute a significant source of pollution inside homes, offices and administrative buildings and any enclosed space with limited ventilation. These emissions may be greatest when the materials are applied, but there may also be a longer-term effect due to residual volatility over time or even linked to the gradual degradation of the covering or of the adhesive or mastic composition.
Hydrocarbon-containing fluids of the gas oil, kerosene or white spirit type can also be used as a secondary plasticizer in different formulations including polymers or resins. This is the case for the mastics or PVC pastes. But their use is now limited by their lower compatibility in the polymer compared with phthalates. Phenomena of surface migration, bleeding, and surface appearance defects that have been noted prevent the production of formulae without phthalates containing only hydrocarbon-containing fluids.
Due to the increasing regulatory constraints, a technical solution is required in order to allow the replacement of the phthalates in stable and economically advantageous formulations of construction materials with a low VOC content. One of the main objectives of the applicant is therefore to propose a novel phthalate-free plasticizer, for the formulation of construction materials and materials intended for the automotive sector such as mastics, plastisols or certain types of adhesives. Another of the objectives of the applicant is to obtain a plasticizer with a non-VOC nature, for the formulation of construction materials, materials based on resins or materials used in the automotive sector such as mastics, plastisols or certain types of adhesives.
Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives having satisfactory resistance to UV radiation. Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives having satisfactory hardening, in particular according to the standard DIN ISO 7619 (for mastics). Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives which exhibit no bleeding.
Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives having satisfactory drying, i.e. drying in less than 24 hours for a film with a thickness of 2 mm. Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives having a suitable dynamic viscosity, i.e. a viscosity comprised between 2,000 and 8,000 Pa·s at 23° C. (Rheomètre Physica Rheolab—Needle Z4—speed: 1 rpm.). Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives having a satisfactory skin-formation time, i.e. a skin formation time at ambient temperature comprised between 5 and 60 minutes.
Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives having a good shear resistance according to the standard DIN EN 14293 (for mastics). Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives having a suitable modulus of elasticity according to the standard DIN 53504 or according to the standard DIN 52455-1 (for mastics). Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives having good tensile strength according to the standard DIN 53504 (for mastics). Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives having satisfactory elongation at break according to the standard DIN 53504 (for mastics). Another objective of the applicant is to propose a plasticizer allowing the formulation of mastics, plastisols and adhesives having a satisfactory elastic recovery according to the standard DIN EN ISO 7389 (for mastics).